Some vehicles depend on their engines to heat their passenger compartments and defrost their windshields. During cold weather, when the vehicle has not been operated for an extended period of time and is cold, the engine is not able to heat the vehicle's passenger compartment or defrost the vehicle's windshield until the engine warms up. This may cause an unwanted delay before the driver can operate the vehicle if the windshield needs defrosting. In addition, the cold interior of the vehicle may cause discomfort for the driver and other passengers. Thus, there is a need to decrease the time needed to warm up a vehicle from a cold start.